Removable insert for shoes



Sept. 20, 1949. J H. EVERSTON REMOVABLE INSERT FOR SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 4, 1945 -INVENTOR Jossmv H. 54/519570 BY 4414.4, 1 414M ATTDRNEYS Sept. 20, 15 49 J EVERSTON 2,482,333

REMOVABLE INSERT FOR SHOES Filed. Aug. 4, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2 a INVENTOR \JQSEPHH Eye-taro AfLLZ MVAM ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE REMOVABLE INSERT FOR SHOES Joseph H. Everston, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application August 4, 1945, Serial No. 608,8

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in auxiliary inserts for shoes. The present application is a continuation in part of application 492,340, filed June '26, 1943, now Patent 2,383,052 granted August 21, 1945, and includes subject matter divided therefrom.

It' is a primary object of the invention to provide an insert which may be removably fixed in the forepart of the shoe. The purposes for which such an insert may be removably fixed in a shoe may vary. Primarily, it is my purpose to provide an auxiliary cushioned insole, at least for the f-orepart of the shoe. However, the invention is also applicable to the provision of special interior lifts for adding apparent height to the wearer of the shoe.

An important object of the invention is the provision of means for removably anchoring the insert. It is also an important purpose to provide insert means applicable to any conventional type of shoe whether or not the shoe has a conventional insole. The invention is applicable, for example, to the so called platform or California type shoe, as well as to shoes of the Goodyear Welt, Compo, McKay, Littleway, stitchdown, and Sbicca constructions.

By reason of the facility with which the insert may be inserted and removed, it is an advantageous feature of the invention that I am able to change the insert according to the height, the degree of cushioning eifect, or other qualities desired and also to promote the wearers health in that the removal and sterilization of the insole provide a very desirable way of dealing with athletes foot infection. By far the greatest source of infection in a shoe is that portion of the insole or sock liner upon which the foot rests at the forepart. The rest of the shoe interior has little or no contact with those portions of the wea-rers foot in which the infection tends to concentrate. By providing for the easy remove! and interchange of an insert, I facilitate controlof this infection.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon analysis of the following disclosure thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal section through a shoe incorporating an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1a is a fragmentary detail view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified construction.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective showing the application of the insert to the shoe of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section showing a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the separated parts comprising the embodiment of Fig.8;

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal section showinga furthermodified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective showing the disassembled parts comprising the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view in longitudinal section through a shoe in which a further modified embodiment of the invention isincorporated.

Fig. 8 is a detail view in perspective of the fastening staple used in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail view in longitudinal section through a shoe embodying a further modified embodiment of the invention.

One of the advantages of my improved inserts lies in the fact that they are applicable to shoes of any type or construction. I have chosen to illustrate the invention applied, in Figs. 1 and 2, to a so called California type shoe, which is one of the most difficult, since it does not havea-n insole in the conventionally accepted use of the term. However, for the purposes of the present invention, any ply exposed at the inside of the shoe may be regarded as an insole. Thus the platform shoe shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has at M a layer of felt upon which is the fabric ply l l which, for the purposes hereof, is characterized as an insole. The insole H, preferably reenforced at III) by a piece of fiber or the like, is provided with one or more snap fastener sockets .12, at least two preferably being used in order more adequately to position the insert IS. The insert may be made up of any desired number of plies. As shown, it comprises upper and lower plies i6 and H and an intervening cushion I8. The composite insert is preferably thinned toward its rear end l9 and provided at 20 with snap fastener buttons complementary to the snap fastener sockets at l2. Thus the entire insert may be almost instantly attached or detached from the shoe. Its removal leaves the shoe substantially in its original form, the snap fastener sockets l2 being imperceptible to the wearer, particularly since they are located beneath the arch, .the insert terminating at the shank portion of the shoe. When the insert is in place, it provides cushioning for the forepar-t of the shoe. It may be removed and interchanged with others or may be removed for the purpose of cleaning or sterili-- zation.

In some shoes the forepart insert may, by changing the relative heights of the forepart and the heel portions of the shoe, throw the shoe somewhat out of balance. If, for this reason, or any other reason, a heel insert is desired, a heel insert or a heel and shank unit such as that shown at I3 in Fig. 111 may be fastened in any desired manner, as, for example, by the cement 260, to the insole I I I at the heel of the shoe, becoming a part of the insole for the purposes of this invention. Where such a heel and shank unit is used,

its forward end may be skived to reduce its thickness and it may be lapped by the skived rear terminal portion I90 of the forepart insert I50. Thereupon the snap fastener socket I20 may be located in the heel and shank unit and engaged by the snap fastener button 200 in the bent rear 3 terminal portion I90 of the forepart insert I50. As in any other of the organizations herein disclosed, a heel pad or a sock lining I4 may be used and this may, in turn, lap the forward insert I50 and cover the snap fastener.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the insert I5I is, purely by way of exemplification, a four-ply construction. There is a cushion ply at I8I which may be sandwiched between upper and lower fabric plies ISI and III, a ply 22 of leather being applied over the whole. The insole III is cut to provide a pocket 23 and the insert I'5I has stitched or cemented to its rear margin I9I a tongue 24 receivable into the pocket 23 and serving as a means of providing for the quick connection and disconnection of the inert to the insole III. The slot which provides the pocket 23 may go all or part way through the insole.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the

insole II2 has a hole 232 cut entirely through its shank portion. By way of exemplification, this hole is shown as being square in outline. The block of material received is shown at 242, cemented or otherwise fastened to the top ply 222 of the insert unit I52. made somewhat longer than the rest of the unit to reduce the overall thickness of the unit at the point at which the block 242 is applied. When the block is in place in the opening 232, as shown in Fig. 5, it serves as a means for securely anchoring the insert I52 against creeping Or other forward or lateral displacement respecting the insole II2.

Fig. 7 illustrates not only a slightly different type of insert unit, but also a different fastening means, it being understood that these ideas are interchangeable and any of the inserts previously described, instead of being skived, may be abruptly shouldered at their rear ends as indicated at I93 in Fig. 7. At the time the insert I53 is fabricated, there is incorporated between its plies the web portion 25 of a staple 26 (Fig. 8), the prongs 21 of which project through the underlying plies of the insert I53. These prongs are extremely sharp so that only slight pressure is required to embed them in the insole I I3 of the shoe shown in Fig. '7.

Where any insert unit terminates in an abrupt shoulder at I93, it is preferred to use with it a heel insert 35, the forward end of which terminates at 31 in a like abrupt shoulder so that the upper surface of the heel insert and the upper surface of the forepart insert are substantially flush. The heel insert may be positioned in any desired manner as, for example, by the staples 26 already described. The head of the staple may be covered by one or more plies 300 which are shaped to provide a heel seat. This affords a simple way of providing a socketed heel seat for a shoe not originally so equipped.

The leather top ply is r Since the heel insert is intended to be left more or less permanently in the shoe, only the forepart insert being interchanged for cleaning or sterilization, the heel insert may, if desired, also be cemented in place as at 30'. The only reason it is preferred not to cement the forepart insert, except, perhaps, at its rear terminal portion, is because it is regarded as desirable to provide for more facile interchange.

The construction shown in Fig. 9 is one in which the insert is used for quite a different purpose. It does, however, provide cushioning, both the forepart insert I54 and the heel insert 34 preferably being made of cork, felt, or the like. The great thickness of these inserts raises the apparent height of the person wearing shoes equipped with them. Such inserts might, however, largely destroy the flexibility of the shoe sole were it not for some sort of binge connection between them. I also provide for detachability by using the hook and eye hinge shown at 32. This affords sufficient flexibility so that the shoe may be worn without discomfort and with natural flexing of its sole. Where the inserts are as bulky as those shown in Fig. 9, they will ordinarily be adequately positioned by the side wall portions of the upper. Therefore, no special fastening means for securing either the insert I54 or the insert 34 to the insole H4 is illustrated, it being understood that any one of the fastening means already described may be used.

Fig. 9 also illustrates a heel liner at 33 which spans the gap between the inserts and at least slightly laps the rear end portion I94 of the forepart insert I54. It will, of course, be understood that in all of the various constructions illustrated, heel liners lapping the forepart inserts may be employed if desired.

Assuming the heel insert 34 to be fixed in the shoe either by adhering it to the insole H4 or conforming it to the shape of the shoe between the heel and the shank, or by securing it in any other manner, it will be apparent that the hinge 32 will not only afford flexibility but will position, or assist in positioning, the forepart insert I54.

The various positioning devices disclosed will be understood to be merely representative. Without some sort of positioning device, the forepart insert would tend to creep either forwardly or laterally and would become wrinkled or distorted. In conformity with the objects of the invention, I have chosen by way of illustration such inserts as I believe to be particularly adapted to provide for that ease of insertion, removal, interchangeability and sterilization of th forepart insert as will promote my objectives as herein outlined.

I claim:

1. A prefabricated insert for a shoe, said insert comprising a cushion member having an outline adapted tofit within the forepart of a sho and to terminate adjacent the shank portion thereof, and a freely engageable and disengageable mechanical fastener connected with said insert adjacent its rear terminal portion for securing such rear terminal portion in place within a shoe, the remainder of the insert being left free to be positioned solely from said rear terminal, in further combination with a second insert complementary to the insert first mentioned and adapted to fit within the heel portion of a shoe and to extend forwardly over the shank of the shoe, lapping the rear portion of said first insert and covering said fastener, the two inserts together providing substantial coverage for the entire interior bottom surface of the shoe.

2. In a shoe having an insole with a forepart, a shank portion and a heel, the combination with such insole, of a heel and shank unit substantially coextensive with the heel and shank portions of the insole and tapered in thickness at its forward end, and a prefabricated insert substantially coextensive with the forepart of the shoe and having a tapered rear terminal portion lappin the thinned portion of said heel and shank unit, and separable faster means including parts respectively connected with the rear terminal portion of the insert and the thinned forward portion of the heel and shank unit whereby the insert is positioned over the forepart of the insole while remaining freely separable therefrom.

3. For use in a shoe having heel, shank and pforepart portions and glove fastener socket means in its shank portion, an insert substantially coextensive with the shoe fortpart and terminating at the shank portion and provided at its rear terminal end with a glove fastener button receivable into the socket means of the shank portion of the shoe, together with a heel insert substantially coextensive with the heel portion of the shoe and lapping the rear end of the forepart insert and provided with glove fastener socket means adapted to receive the socket means of the forepart insert.

4. For use in a shoe having heel, shank and forepart portions, a forepart insert substantially coextensive with the forepart of the shoe and terminating at the shank portion thereof, a heel insert substantially coextensive with the heel portion of the shoe and. terminating at the shank portion thereof, the respective inserts having lapping portions respectively provided with glove fastener button and socket means for their detachable and flexible connection.

5. For use in a shoe having heel, shank and forepart portions, forepart and heel inserts each coextensive with one of said portions and terminating at the shank portion of the shoe, one of said inserts being provided with a hook and the other with an eye for detachable flexible connection between said inserts, the said inserts having substantially flush upper surfaces providing a substantially continuous support for the wearers foot.

6. For use in a shoe having an insole with forepart, shank and. heel portions, a composite multiple-piece insert including a first piece substantially coextensive with the forepart and terminating at the shank, and a second piece substantially coextensive with the heel and terminating at the shank, the said pieces being of substantial thickness and having substantially flush and contiguous upper surfaces, and a flexible connection between said pieces immediately adjacent said surface.

JOSEPH H. EVERSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 930,990 Rogers Aug. 10, 1909 1,061,353 Block May 13, 1913 1,164,177 Eaton Dec. 14, 1915 1,417,600 Gutmann May 30, 1922 1,588,011 Campbell June 8, 1926 1,673,785 Grover, et a1 June 12, 1928 2,064,507 Van Sant Dec. 15, 1936 2,220,439 Block Nov. 5, 1940 2,269,815 Goodman Jan. 13, 1942 2,329,282 McDermott Sept. 14, 1943 2,367,808 Starner Jan. 23, 1945 2,424,159 Goetz July 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 440,246 Germany Jan. 29, 1927 563,345 Germany Nov. 3, 1932 

